Inhalation device with constricted flow pathway

ABSTRACT

An inhalation device includes a light source that emits light, a light sensor that senses an intensity of the light emitted from the light source and a processor or circuit configured to perform a metering process. The metering process may include when a signal indicating that a puff has been detected by the puff detecting element: extracting a predetermined known flow rate that is stored in the memory in advance, determining an amount of vaporized substance that have been produced, and accumulating the determined amount of vaporized substance that has been produced in the memory as a total amount produced. The metering method may also include when the accumulated total amount produced reaches a predetermined threshold: (i) shut off the heating element or (ii) send a signal to an indicator that the predetermined threshold amount of the vaporized substance has been consumed.

PRIORITY INFORMATION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No.62/585,565 filed Jan. 17, 2018 and U.S. Provisional Application No.62/621,795 filed on Jan. 25, 2018, each filed at the United StatesPatent & Trademark Office, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND Field

This disclosure is directed towards inhaling devices, such as,vaporizers, vaporizing pens, and vaporizing machines, which are used tovaporize substances such as tobaccos, oils, liquids, medical drugs, andplant herbs. Once vaporized, these substances are then inhaled byconsumers. Such inhaling devices have health benefits over traditionalsmoking methods. However, inhaling the vapor can have negative effectson the body depending on the substance, such as, nicotine. Inhalingdevices have become more popular with consumers, but pose problems.

For example, while vaporizers can be safer than traditional smokingmethods, it is difficult to meter the amount of vaporized substance thatis being inhaled. So a user of an inhalation device that vaporizesnicotine may actually consume more nicotine than had the user smokedcigarettes or cigars.

There are multiple factors that affect the quantity of drug that isinhaled. These factors include the drug concentration of the vaporizedsubstance, the amount of vapor inhaled, the duration of inhalation,variations between inhalation devices, and variation and inconsistencyin the functionality of the device.

Another issue is that the inhaled substances may have different effectson different users depending on various factors. To optimize a user'sexperience, it is necessary to track the quantity inhaled taken overtime and track the resulting effect it has on that user. This can be atedious and demanding task. Typical users may not keep track of eachdose and record the experience.

Known prior art such as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005-0068528(Altobelli) requires a pressure sensor to meter drug delivery. However,an additional pressure sensor adds cost and can complicate construction.Thus, a need exists in the conventional technology to provide aninhalation device that provides metering without a pressure sensor.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the disclosure, an inhalation device forproviding metering information regarding vaporized substance inhalationto a user is disclosed. The inhalation device may comprise: a main bodycomprising a channel through which the vaporized substance can flow, themain body may include an inlet that is a first opening and an outletthat is a second opening. The inhalation device may also include a lightsource that emits light and that is positioned inside of the channel anda light sensor that senses an intensity of the light emitted from thelight source. The inhalation device may also include a puff detectingelement, a memory and a processor or circuit.

In an aspect of the disclosure, the processor or circuit may beconfigured to perform a metering method. The metering method may beperformed when (in response to) a signal indicating that a puff has beendetected by the puff detecting element. The metering method may includestarting a heating element to begin vaporizing the substance. Themetering method may also include extracting, from the memory, apredetermined known flow rate that is stored in the memory in advance,the predetermined known flow rate being a known flow rate of either theinhalation device itself or a portion of the channel of the inhalationdevice. The metering method may also include determining, based on theextracted known flow rate and information received from the light sensorregarding the intensity of the light emitted from the light source, anamount of vaporized substance that has been produced. The meteringmethod may also include accumulating the determined amount of vaporizedsubstance that has been produced in the memory as a total amountproduced.

The metering method may also include a function such that when theaccumulated total amount produced reaches a predetermined thresholddosage amount: (i) shut off the heating element or (ii) send a signal toan indicator or display that the predetermined threshold amount of thevaporized substance has been consumed.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the light signal deviceand the sensor may be positioned in the channel such that the vaporizedsubstance can flow past the light sensor and the light source. Accordingto another aspect of the disclosure, the puff detecting element mayinclude at least one of: a fin or propeller positioned in the vapor flowpathway to spin as the air/vapor passes, a heated wire positioned in theairflow pathway such that passing air will create a drop in thetemperature of the wire, a temperature sensor located downstream fromthe heating element as to measure the temperature of the passing air,and a sensor positioned on the mouthpiece such that when the user's lipstouch the mouthpiece, a puff is detected.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the determining of theamount of vaporized substance includes: obtaining a predetermined numberof readings from the sensor in a predetermined amount of time,determining a percentage, which is a vapor factor, as a ratio of anexpected amount of production for the predetermined amount of time tothe actual amount of vapor produced over the predetermined amount oftime, multiplying the predetermined amount of time by the vapor factorat that time, and determining a total amount that has been consumed byaccumulating each multiplication product.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the processor or circuitmay be further configured to: determine the amount of vaporizedsubstance based on a correlation between a light intensity and avapor/air mixture. According to another aspect of the disclosure, thecorrelation may be based on a graph of a value percent drop in lightintensity versus a percentage of vapor in a mixture of vapor and air.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the correlation may bebased on a data structure or graph of a value percent drop in lightintensity versus a percentage of cannabis oil vapor in a mixture ofvapor and air.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the processor or circuituses data from the light sensor to meter the consumption of thevaporized substance, and/or the predetermined known flow rate that isstored in advance is based on a length of the second channel portion.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the indicator informs theuser when a dose of the substance has been inhaled, and the indicatorincludes at least one of: an audio signal, a visual signal, a visualdisplay, a vibration and a transmitter that sends a signal to anexternal device.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the inhalation device mayfurther comprise an atomizer configured to vaporize an unvaporizedsubstance into a vaporized substance.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the first opening may beconfigured to allow entry of air into the device that flows to theatomizer such that the air flows at a substantially constant rate.According to another aspect of the disclosure the processor or circuitmay use the substantially constant rate and the data from the lightsensor to meter an amount of vapor consumed by a user. According toanother aspect of the disclosure, the channel may include a firstchannel portion and a second channel portion, and when a user inhales,the vapor will flow in the first channel portion and through the secondchannel portion before flowing through the outlet. According to anotheraspect of the disclosure, the light source and the light sensor may bepositioned for sensing concentration of the vapor that flows in thesecond channel portion.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, to perform the sensing ofthe concentration, the light source and the light sensor may bepositioned such that they are attached at respective ends of the secondchannel portion. According to another aspect of the disclosure, therespective ends of the second channel portion may be parallel to eachother and perpendicular to the vapor flow direction in the first channelportion.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, where the vapor flowdirection in the first channel portion is an X-axis of a localcoordinate grid, a ceiling of the second channel portion may becompletely or partially below the first channel portion, where “below”means on a different, lower Y-coordinate plane of the local coordinategrid. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the second channelportion may be relatively provided at a level below the first channelportion. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the inhalationdevice may be configured to cause the vapor to: upon exiting the firstchannel portion, travel in a downward direction to and into the secondchannel portion, and/or upon exiting the second channel portion, travelin a direction upwards to the outlet.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the second channel portion may becompletely or partially provided in a direction different from “below”the first channel portion. For example, the second channel portion maybe provided “above,” “left of” and/or “right of” the first channelportion. When exiting the first and second channel portions, the vapormay travel upward, downward, leftwards, and/or rightwards so long as thevapor travels from the first channel portion to and through the secondchannel portion, and exits the second channel portion.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the inlet may comprise achannel having at least two sidewalls, and the flow rate through thechannel may be limited by surface tension and friction between the airand the sidewalls.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the inhalation device mayfurther include a plunger that is positioned at the inlet and isconfigured to move in an axial direction to limit airflow into thedevice.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, the processor or circuitmay be further configured to at least one of: produce discreet pulses ofvapor at a preset frequency and or produce vapor quantity in the patternof a sine wave.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features, the nature, and various advantages of the disclosedsubject matter will be more apparent from the following detaileddescription and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are each diagrams of an inhalation device, according toan embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is another diagram of an inhalation device, according to anembodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 3 is another diagram of an inhalation device, according to anembodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 5 is another diagram of an inhalation device, according to anembodiment of this disclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B each show a diagram of a portion of an inhalationdevice, according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIGS. 7A-7D each show a diagram of a portion of an inhalation device,according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 8 another diagram of an inhalation device, according to anembodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating performance of an inhalation deviceaccording to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a portion of an inhalation device, according toan embodiment of this disclosure.

FIGS. 11A-11C are diagrams of a portion of an inhalation device,according to various embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating performance of an inhalation deviceaccording to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 13 shows a graph of the value percent drop in an optocell (i.e., adevice that senses the intensity of light) versus the percentage ofvaporized drug in a mixture of vapor and air.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view illustrating an inhalation device 1according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1A, the inhalation device1 may include a battery 2, a heating element 4, a wick 6, a reservoir 8containing a substance 10, a processor 14, a memory 16, a timer 18, alight emitter 20, which is a light source, a light receiver 22 (whichmay be or include a light sensor), a visual indicator 24, a quantitymeter indicator 26, an inlet (e.g., two inlet holes 28), an outlet 30,and a main body 32.

The battery 2 provides electrical power to various components in theinhalation device 1, including the heating element 4, the processor 14,the memory 16, the timer 18, the light emitter 20, the light receiver22, and the visual indicator 24. The battery 2 may be from among manydifferent types (e.g., rechargeable batteries, etc.) as would beappreciated by an artisan having ordinary skill in the art.

The heating element 4 may be an element designed to heat up the wick 6and thereby vaporize the substance 10. The heating element 4 may be madeof many different types of materials, such as, metal, ceramics, glass,or a combination thereof. Additionally, the heating element 4 may bedesigned in many different shapes, such as a coil, a rod, etc. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the heating element 4 is exemplarily shownin a curved shape, but is not limited thereto.

The reservoir 8 is a housing that contains the substance 10. Thereservoir 8 may be detachably attachable to the body 32 of theinhalation device 1 and may be implemented in many differentconfigurations known to those skilled in the art, e.g., pods,cartridges, etc. Alternatively, the reservoir 8 simply may be an openingor cavity designed to receive the substance 10. The substance 10 may bemany different types of smokable substances, such as tobaccos, oils,liquids, medical drugs, or plant herbs. The reservoir 8 stores thesubstance in unvaporized form, and the heating element 4 may heat theunvaporized substance from the reservoir 8 via the wick 6 to create avaporized substance, which is then inhaled by the user through theoutlet 30. The device 1 also includes a channel portion through whichthe vaporized substance produced by the heating element 12 and air willflow to the outlet 30 when a user inhales.

The processor 14 is a hardware component (e.g., a hardware processor orhardware processing circuit) configured to control the operations of theother electrical components in the inhalation device 1. To achieve this,the processor 14 transmits and receives electrical signals to and fromthe other electrical components. The memory 16 may store detectedpressure values and other types of information, e.g., batteryinformation, programs, etc.

The timer 18 and processor 14 may work in conjunction to providemetering information to the user. More specifically, the processor 14may control the timer 18 such that when a user inhales using theinhalation device 1, the processor 14 will start the timer 18simultaneously (or within a predetermined time period) with the heatingelement 4 to begin vaporizing the substance 10. After the timer 18 hasreached a particular value, a particular amount of the substance 10 willhave been vaporized, and the timer 18 may shut off and send a signal tothe indicator 24 to alert the user. Alternatively, the processor 14 maynot shut off the heating element 4, but rather may send a signal to theindicator 24 that the particular amount of the vaporized element hasbeen consumed.

The light emitter 20 (also referred to in this disclosure as lightsource and/or signal) may be configured to emit a wide range of lightwavelengths. The light emitter 20 may be, for example, an LED, althoughis not limited thereto. The light emitter 220 emits the light towardsthe light receiver 22, and based on the received light from the lightreceiver 22, the processor can detect the concentration of vapor in theair and transmit an electrical signal indicating the detectedconcentration. This feature may be useful to assist a user indetermining an amount of vaporized substance being consumed. The lightemitter 20 and light sensor 22 may be implemented in many differentconfigurations, may be spaced apart from each other in many differentarrangements, and may use many different types of signals (e.g., visiblelight, ultraviolet, infrared, etc.). According to certain exemplaryembodiments, the light emitter 20 and light receiver 22 may be omitted.

The visual indicator 24 may be a light that indicates that a certainevent has occurred. For example, the indicator light 24 may light upwhen the processor 14 determines that a certain quantity of substance 10has been consumed. The indicator light 24 is not limited to transmittinga light beam, and may instead generate many other types of indications,e.g., audio, another type of visual feedback, haptic (vibration)feedback, a display, etc. The device 1 could also, instead of anindicator 24, include a communication interface configured to transmit asignal to an external device such as a smart phone, tablet, or computerindicating that a dose has been consumed, when the certain quantity(dose) of substance has been consumed. Alternatively, the indicator 24could display what dosage amount the user has consumed.

For example, for a particular amount that is set at 3 mg and for aheating element 212 that produces 1 mg of vapor per second, 3 mg will bedelivered to a user who inhales for 3 seconds. In the event that theuser cannot inhale long enough to consume a single dose in a singleinhalation, the device 200 may be configured to keep a session open (viathe memory and processor), with a session being defined as a particulartime within which a user can consume the particular amount. A session inthis case could be set to 10 seconds. In this open sessionconfiguration, the device 1 can stop producing vapor when the user stopsinhaling and start producing vapor when the user inhales again. When thesum of the user's inhalations amounts to consumption of 3 mg, theprocessor may send a signal to the indicator 24.

Determining when the user stops inhaling can be achieved by using apressure sensor. In this example, when the pressure drops below athreshold, the heating element will turn off, and when the pressure goesabove the threshold, the heating will resume. Alternatively, instead oftime-based, a session can be vapor-based, where the device 200 keeps asession open until a certain quantity of vapor is produced. As discussedmore in regards to FIGS. 2-11 below, in an embodiment, a meteringinhalation device that does not require a pressure sensor is disclosed.

The quantity meter 26, which is a progressive meter indicator, providesvisual indicia that indicates a quantity of the substance 10 that beenconsumed. For example, the quantity meter 26 may include a series ofhash marks oriented along an axis where the hash marks function asindicia of units of the substance 10 being consumed. According toexemplary embodiments, the hash marks may be evenly spaced apart fromeach other to indicate a cumulative increase in a quantity of thesubstance 10 being consumed. For example, each of the hash marks canrepresent 1 milligram (mg) of the active ingredient in substance 10. Inan embodiment, the hash marks may also be unevenly spaced apart toaccount for resin buildup which increases the concentration of an activeingredient (e.g., THC) during smoking.

The quantity meter 26 could take the form of a sequence of lights,possibly LED lights, which indicate the progression of the amountconsumed by the user. For example, as the quantity meter 26, there couldbe a sequence of four LED lights on the device 100 that indicate when25%, ½, 75% and a full amount, respectively, have been taken. When thefull amount has been taken, the lights might be programmed to indicateto the user that the full amount has been reached by flashing.Alternatively, the progressive meter indicator (quantity meter 226)could take other forms, like a mechanical indicator, a dial, a screendisplay, or a sound sequence. The progressive meter indicator may resetafter reaching a full amount and hence continue to meter and indicatethe user beyond one cycle. For example, after a full amount has beentaken the indicator will reset by turning all lights off and beginturning on each light again as the user consumes.

The light source (signal or light emitter) 220 may be a light emittingdiode (LED) that produces light in a wide range of light wavelengths.The signal could also be a light source that produces ultraviolet light.As shown in FIG. 1A, the light receiver or sensor 22 and light emitter20 (or light signal) may be positioned across from each other in thechannel. The light sensor 22 may sense the intensity of light, therebyallowing the processor to sense the concentration of the vapor. Forexample, the sensor 22 can be an optical sensor that senses theintensity of the light produced by the signal from light emitter 20. Ifthe sensor 22 senses a high output, the processor can determine thatthis indicates that the vapor concentration is low, and the vapor/airmixture is mostly, if not all, air. If the sensor 22 senses a lowoutput, the processor can determine that this indicates that the vaporconcentration is high. The processor 14 may record information from thesensor 22 in the memory. The sensor 22 can assist the device 1 inproviding information about vapor concentration to the user. Forexample, if the sensor senses a 5% drop in intensity from the signal,that could correlate to a mixture of vapor/air that is 60% vapor.

The processor 14 may use data from the sensor 22 to calculate when aparticular amount of the vaporized substance has been produced. This isuseful where the substance is viscous such as cannabis oil. In suchviscous substances the amount of vapor produced in a given time canvary.

When a user inhales using the device 1, the processor 304 may turn onthe heating element 4. The light receiving sensor 22 may sense in realtime (as a non-limiting example, every 0.1 seconds) the intensity of thelight from the signal 20. Using the data from the sensor 22, theprocessor 214 can determine when a particular amount of vapor has beenproduced (presumably consumed). For example, if the heating elementproduces 1 mg of vapor per second, and the particular amount is 3 mg,the processor may turn on the heating element 4 when a user inhales, andthe processor may turn off the heating element 4 when the timer reachesthree seconds. After the timer reaches 3 seconds, the processor may senda signal to the indicator 24, which will then indicate that theparticular amount has been consumed.

For example, if a particular amount to be consumed is 3 mg and theheating element 4 vaporizes 1 mg per second (vaporization rate), thentheoretically the 3 mg should be produced in 3 seconds. In practice,however, it may take longer for the inhalation 1 device to vaporize 3mg. This may be due to factors such as the time it takes the heatingelement 4 to heat up and the consistency of the drug released from thereservoir 8 to the wick 6. So for example, when a user begins to inhale,the first ten readings of the sensor 22 in the first second (e.g., onereading every 0.1 seconds) may indicate that the vapor produced over thefirst second is 50% of the expected production. This percentage ofexpected production can be thought of as a vapor factor. The processor214 may take this vapor factor into account to determine when 3 mg isconsumed by the user. In other words, the processor 14 may collect thedata from the sensor 16 at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 0.1seconds) and, in view of the vapor factor, determine when 3 mg has beenconsumed by the user. For a given amount of time, the processor 214 may,for example, multiply the predetermined interval (e.g., 0.1 seconds) bythe vapor factor for that predetermined time interval, for each of theintervals that have occurred, and add each of these products together toderive a total amount consumed. For example, if in the first second ofinhalation, 50% of vapor is produced, and assuming 100% of vapor isproduced after 1 second, the processor will able to determine that 3 mghas been consumed in 3.5 seconds.

In the above example, the processor 14 is capable of acquiring data fromthe light sensor 22 and also, from the memory, information on how much aparticular amount of substance is expected to be produced per unit oftime. The processor 14 can store additional vapor characteristics of thesubstance. For example, the processor 14 can store the time it takes forthe heating element 4 to heat to the temperature at which it vaporizesthe substance. The processor 14 can also store the heating andtemperature variations during different inhalation profiles. Forexample, if a user inhales at a high rate, the air flowing through theinlet and into the device 1 can cool the heating element 4. Theprocessor 14 can store, in the memory, information on different rates ofinhalation to adjust, for example, the temperature of the heatingelement 4. The processor 14 can also store information on the flow ofdrug from the reservoir 8 to the wick 6, the concentration of thesubstance within a given volume, and the vaporization rates of thesubstance at different temperatures of the heating element 4. Theprocessor 14 as well as the processors discussed herein can be standardintegrated circuit (IC) chips made by IC manufacturers such as TexasInstruments, or a microprocessor.

For example, data from the light receiving sensor 22 can assist thedevice 1 in providing information about vapor concentration to the user.For example, if the light sensor 22 senses a 5% drop in intensity fromthe signal from the light emitter 20, that could correlate to a mixtureof vapor/air that is 60% vapor. The “OptoSensor Change v. VaporIntensity” chart in FIG. 13 is an exemplary chart that graphs the valuepercent drop in an optocell (i.e., a device that senses the intensity oflight) versus the percentage of cannabis oil vapor in a mixture of vaporand air. FIG. 3 thus shows a correlation between vapor concentration andthe readings from an optocell. Knowing the relative concentration of thevapor can assist the device 1 in providing additional information to theuser. For example, if a user inhales using the device 1 and the lightreceiving sensor 22 senses a high output, this may indicate that theconcentration is less than expected. The device 1 could also include anadditional indicator to inform the user that the device 1 is notproducing the expected amount of vapor. The light receiving sensor 22can be any suitable sensor that senses light including withoutlimitation, a photosensor, photodetector, optocell, optoresistor,optotransistor, optodiode, and/or solar cell. The light emitter 20 canbe any suitable device that produces light, such as an LED that producesvisible light. The light source could also emit ultraviolet light. Inother words, the light emitter 20 can produce a wide range ofwavelengths of light and the light receiving sensor 22 can detect thosewavelengths of light. The inhalation device 1 can optionally use filtersin order to target a specific wavelength of light to optimally detectvapor intensity.

In addition, the light emitter 20 can also be tuned to particularwavelengths or a plurality of wavelengths to detect specific types ofmolecules and quantities of these molecules that are present in thepassing vapor, thereby allowing identification and quantification ofdrugs in vaporized form. This technology can be fitted in a small andlimited space such as a compact inhalation device 1. The vapor itselfcan remain in its current unaltered state during analysis. Thistechnology allows for real-time analysis as it is being inhaled by theuser. Several wavelengths of light may be used concurrently.

This technology can also be used for an exhalation device. In thisconfiguration, we can analyze the air or vapor exhaled by a user. Onesuch use of this configuration is to quantify the amount of drug that isbeing exhaled after partial absorption in the lungs. Another use of thisconfiguration may be to make a determination on the level of drug withina human by way of analyzing the exhaled air/gas.

Although not required, in another embodiment, the device 1 may include apressure sensor 12 that is designed to sense the air pressure in thevicinity of the outlet 30. According to an embodiment, the pressuresensor 12 is a sensor that can convert a detected pressure value into anelectrical signal. The pressure sensor 12 may be implemented using manydifferent types of pressure sensing technologies, such as micro air flowsensors, a propeller, a microphone, differential pressure sensors,strain gauges, fiber optics, mechanical deflection, semiconductorpiezoresistive, microelectrical mechanical systems (MEMS), vibratingelements, variable capacitance, etc.

The pressure sensor 22 may be used to measure the velocity at which themixture of vapor and air flow through the channel. So for example, ifthe pressure sensor 12 is a propeller, the propeller would be installedin the channel and would spin according to velocity of the vapor/airmixture. The frequency of revolutions can be measured and used tocalculate the velocity of the mixture. If the pressure sensor 12 is amicrophone, the microphone can be set up in the channel to listen to thenoise of the vapor/air mixture passing through the channel. Acorrelation can be made between the sound intensity (and/or frequency)and the rate of flow of the mixture. Optionally, the sensor 12 can beplaced between the inlet and the processor such that it detects the airflow rate going through the device when a user inhales. Generally, thevapor light sensor and airflow rate are needed in order to properlyderive the mass flow rate of the medication. The vapor light sensor mayprovide light intensity data, which be used to determine density data,and the airflow rate will provide data regarding the speed of inhalation(i.e.: how much of the vapor density is being consumed). There areseveral improvements related to this section. They are further describedin the embodiments below.

In general, when a user ignites the substance 210 and inhales throughthe outlet 30, air from outside is drawn into the inlet 28, movedthrough the body 32 of the inhalation device 1 and mixed with thevaporized substance, and pulled through the outlet 30 into the user'slungs. During this process, the air in the area around the outlet 30flows towards the low air pressure (e.g., vacuum) created by the userinhaling the air. A greater change in air pressure results in a greaterquantity of vaporized substance being consumed by the user. When thepressure sensor 12 is implemented as a differential pressure sensor, thepressure sensor 12 detects this change in air pressure, converts thedetected values to an electrical signal, and transmits the electricalsignal to the processor 14. According to an embodiment, since thepressure sensor 12 is designed to be used in a small portable device(i.e., the inhalation device 200), the pressure sensor 12 may bedesigned as a relatively small and highly sensitive micro air pressuresensor that is capable of detecting tiny changes in air pressure (e.g.,a fraction of a pascal), although is not limited thereto.

The pressure sensor 12 can also be used to adjust the intensity of theheating element 4. The temperature of the heating element can affect theamount of the substance that is vaporized. The sensor 12 is able tosense how intensely a user inhales (i.e., senses the volume per unittime of an inhalation). The processor 14 can acquire this data andadjust the intensity of the heating element by adjusting the voltage ofthe heating element.

The pressure sensor 12 and the adjustment of the heating element 4 areuseful in a non-limiting situation where the user desires to consume adose more quickly. So, for example, if the device 1 is set up so thatthe heating element 4 produces 1 mg of vapor per second and a dose is 3mg, a user that inhales at a high volume per unit time can consume theentire dose quicker than 3 seconds. In this scenario, the pressure orairflow sensor 12 will be able to sense the higher velocity of thevapor/air mixture, and the processor can, if desired, increase theintensity of the heating element 4 such that it produces more vapor. Theprocessor 14 can adjust the intensity of the heating element 4 in realtime based on data from the air flow sensor 12. So if a user does notinhale intensely, the sensor 12 will detect the decreased flow rate andthe processor can then lower the intensity of the heating element 4.

The embodiments described in FIG. 1B disclose an inhalation device thatmeter consumption of the vapor by use of a single sensor (the lightsensor), but do not require the use of a pressure sensor. In otherwords, without the need for a separate airflow sensor. For example, FIG.1B illustrates an inhalation device 100 according to an embodiment ofthis disclosure that may restrict the amount of air (or vapor/airmixture) that can be contained within one or more channel portions. Morespecifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, inhalation device 100 may include aninlet 116, an atomizer portion 110 (including an atomizer shown by coilsin FIG. 1B), a vapor sensing unit 126 and an outlet 108. The atomizerportion 110 may include a first channel portion 127 and the vaporsensing unit 126 may include a light source (signal) 118, a light sensor120, and a second channel portion 117. The atomizer portion 110 includesan atomizer that produces vapor that a user inhales through the outlet108. When a user inhales, the vapor will flow in the first channelportion 127 of the atomizer portion 110 and through the second channelportion 117 of the vapor sensing unit 126 before flowing through theoutlet 108. The light source (signal) 118 and light sensor 120 may bepositioned for sensing concentration of the vapor that flows in thesecond channel portion 117, which is described in more detail below. Toperform the sensing of the concentration, the light source 118 and thelight sensor 120 may be positioned such that they are attached atrespective ends of the second channel portion 117.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in another embodiment an inhalation device thatmeters consumption can be constructed without an airflow or pressuresensor. For example, a standard atomizer unit will produce vapor invarying degrees. This can be measured by a vapor sensing unit (e.g., theportion of the inhalation device that senses vapor concentration). Asdescribed in previous embodiments herein, a sensor for measurement ofvolume of flow can be used to measure the instantaneous flow rate. Thisdata may be combined with vapor intensity readings in order to derive amass flow rate of vapor and/or substance. This is accurate and true forsystems in which the air flow rates may be variable. However, if theairflow rate is restricted to a substantially set (limited) rate, thenthere will be no substantial variation in flow rate. In such a case, theflow rate is set and there is no need to measure the pressure/air flowduring that time for deriving the flow rate. The mass flow rate can bederived solely on the known flow rate and the vapor intensity (vapordensity).

As shown in FIG. 1B, the respective ends of the second channel portion117 may be parallel to each other and/or perpendicular to the vapor flowdirection in the first channel portion 127. As shown in FIG. 1B, wherethe vapor flow direction in the first channel portion 127 is an X-axisof a local coordinate grid, a top (ceiling) of the second channelportion 117 may be completely (or partially) below the first channelportion 127, where below means on a different Y-coordinate plane of thelocal coordinate grid that has the X-axis corresponding to the vaporflow direction in the first channel portion 127. That is, as shown inFIG. 1B, the second channel portion 117 is provided at a level below thefirst channel portion 127. As shown in FIG. 1B, the inhalation device100 may further be configured to cause the vapor to, upon exiting thefirst channel portion 127, travel in a downward direction that isperpendicular to the airflow direction of the first channel portion 127and into the second channel portion 117. Upon exiting the second channelportion 117, the vapor may travel in a direction upwards that isperpendicular to the second channel portion 117. In a perpendiculardirection may include precisely perpendicular and also substantiallyperpendicular.

However, the second channel portion may be completely or partiallyprovided in a direction different from “below” the first channelportion. For example, the second channel portion may be provided“above,” “left of” and/or “right of” the first channel portion. Whenexiting the first and second channel portions, the vapor may travelupward, downward, leftwards, and/or rightwards so long as the vaportravels from the first channel portion to and through the second channelportion, and exits the second channel portion.

While the light source 118 and the light sensor 120 allow a processor(or processing circuit) to determine vapor concentration, determiningthe volume of the vapor is needed to ultimately meter the quantity ofdrug consumed by a user. Conventionally, a second sensor (e.g., apressure or airflow sensor) for measurement of volume of flow would beneeded to measure a flow rate of the vapor. This second sensor data ofthe flow rate would be combined with a vapor concentration to derive amass flow rate of vapor and/or substance. A person having ordinary skillin the art would understand that an atomizer produces vapor at varyingdegrees, and a user may inhale at varying intensities leading to avariable flow rate through a typical inhalation device. Thus, inconventional technology, having the second sensor (e.g., an airflowsensor to sense this variable data) would typically be required.

However, in the inhalation device FIG. 1B, the airflow rate isrestricted to a substantially set (limited) rate. As a result, there isno need to measure the air flow with a separate second sensor. The massflow rate can be derived based on, for example, a known flow rate of aspecific channel portion in the device 100 and the vapor concentration.Alternatively, the known flow rate can be a known flow rate of theentire device itself.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B, the vapor light sensor can be setup such that the air/vapor flow will pass substantially within “view” ofthe vapor light sensor. The flow pathway within the second channelportion 117 may be designed such that all the air/vapor is substantiallyvisible to the vapor sensing unit. The design may include a pathwaycorresponding to the second channel portion 117 with at least one crosssection that is entirely within view, within detection, of the vaporsensing unit. In this set up, substantially all the air/vapor will beforced to pass through this cross sectional area and thus will bevisible and detectable to the vapor sensing unit.

There may be no hidden pathways or “corner” in which the vapor can passwithout being detected by the vapor sensing unit. This embodiment isadvantageous as it measures substantially all air/vapor flowing withinthe unit and will result in accurate measurements and final calculation.The frequency of measurements by the vapor sensing unit will need tomeet or exceed the airflow rate such that no vapor passes without beingmeasured.

Specifically, and still referring to FIG. 1B, limiting the flow rate toa substantially particular rate can be achieved through physical designof the air and/or vapor flow pathway (referred to as channelportion(s)). For instance, in FIG. 1B, the inlet 116 can be of aspecific diameter that may constrain the air flow to a substantiallyset/limited flow rate, which can be used for determining the known flowrate of the device. As shown in FIG. 1B, the diameter of the inlet 116is reduced to a small magnitude, for example around 1 mm in diameteressentially obtain a constant flow of air into the inhalation devicefrom the inlet 116. This information can be stored, along withcorrelation information, which can be used to determine a flow rate ofthe inhalation device 100 or a portion thereof.

Alternatively, the inlet of an inhalation device can also be elongatedto maintain a constant air flow. This is illustrated in FIG. 2, whichshows inhalation device 200 according to another embodiment of thedisclosure. FIG. 2 may include each of the elements of FIG. 1B with anexception being that an inlet 216 of FIG. 2 is longer than the inlet 116of FIG. 1B, and comprises a third channel portion 217. The third channelportion 217 may have a smaller diameter than the first channel portion127, thereby the third channel portion 217 may be used to control andlimit the air flow rate through this channel by surface tension andfriction between the air and the sidewalls 217 a of the third channelportion 217. In an embodiment, the diameter of the hole maybe around 1mm and the length approximately from 5-10 mm. The diameter of the holethat may be around 1 mm may be less than 1 mm or more than 1 mm. Thediameter of the hole may be less than 2 mm, but greater than 1 mm.

FIG. 3 illustrates an inhalation device 300 according to anotherembodiment of the disclosure. More specifically, inhalation device 300may include an inlet 316, an atomizer 310, a vapor sensing unit 326 andan outlet 308, which perform similar functions as the inhalation devices100 and 200 described above. The atomizer 310 may include a firstchannel portion 327 and the vapor sensing unit 326 may include a lightsource or signal 318, a light sensor 320, and a second channel portion317. The atomizer portion 310 includes an atomizer (shown by coils inFIG. 3) that produces vapor that a user inhales through the outlet 308.The vapor will flow in the first channel portion 327 of the atomizerportion 310 and through the second channel portion 317 of the vaporsensing unit 326 before flowing through the outlet 308. The light source318 and light sensor 320 are positioned for sensing concentration of thevapor that flows in the second channel portion 317. The light source 318and the light sensor 320 may be positioned on ends of the second channelportion 317.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inhalation device 300 may also include a plunger319. The plunger 319 can move in an axial direction into and out of theinlet 316 and may be shaped like a coned needle that penetrates theinlet 316. The plunger 319 may be biased away from the inlet 316 suchthat the higher the air flow rate (i.e., the more intensely a userinhales), the more the plunger 319 gets “sucked in” to the hole andrestricts the air flow rate. The plunger 319 can thus be used torestrict the air flow rate to a substantially set flow rate regardlessof the intensity with which a user inhales.

FIG. 4 illustrates an inhalation device 400 according to anotherembodiment of the disclosure. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4,inhalation device 400 may include an inlet 416, an atomizer portion 410,a vapor sensing unit 426 and an outlet 408. The atomizer portion 410 mayinclude a first channel portion 427 and the vapor sensing unit 426 mayinclude a light source 418 and a light sensor 420 that are positionedwithin a second channel portion 417. The atomizer portion 410 mayinclude an atomizer (shown by coils in FIG. 4) that produces vapor thata user inhales through the outlet 408. The vapor will flow in the firstchannel portion 427 of the atomizer portion 410 and through the secondchannel portion 417 of the vapor sensing unit 426 before flowing throughthe outlet 408. The light source 418 and light sensor 420 may bepositioned for sensing concentration of the vapor that flows in thesecond channel portion 417. The light source 418 and light sensor 420may be positioned on ends of the channel 417. The inlet 416 of thedevice 400 may be elongated and comprise a third channel denoted bysidewalls 417 a. The third channel may be used to control and limit theair flow rate through this channel by surface tension and frictionbetween the air and the sidewalls 417 a of the third channel. To allow auser to inhale faster, while controlling the airflow rate in theatomizer portion 410 and/or the vapor sensing unit 426, the device 400may include a second air inlet 421 that is separated from the airflow ofthe atomizer portion 410 and the vapor sensing unit 426. The secondinlet 421 allows a user the freedom to experience a varying airflowrate, while maintaining a known airflow rate in the second channelportion 417.

FIG. 5 illustrates an inhalation device 500 according to anotherembodiment of the disclosure. More specifically, inhalation device 500may include an inlet 516, an atomizer portion 510, a vapor sensing unit526 and an outlet 508. The atomizer portion 510 may include a firstchannel portion 527 and the vapor sensing unit 526 may include a lightsource 518, a sensor 520, and a second channel portion 517. The atomizerportion 510 includes an atomizer (shown by coils in FIG. 5) thatproduces vapor that a user inhales through the outlet 508. The vaporwill flow in the first channel portion 527 of the atomizer portion 510and through the second channel portion 517 of the vapor sensing unit 526before flowing through the outlet 508. The light source 518 and lightsensor 520 may be positioned for sensing concentration of the vapor thatflows in the second channel portion 517. The light source 518 and thelight sensor 520 may be positioned on ends of the second channel portion517. The inhalation device 500 may also include a plunger 519 thatoperates as described with respect to plunger 319. In addition, thedevice 500 may include a second inlet 521 having an airflow valve 523.In this embodiment, the valve 523 of the second inlet 521 may be biasedin the closed position and open after a certain airflow rate thresholdis reached inside the device 500, thereby ensuring that air will firstenter via the inlet 516 to the atomizer 510 and vapor sensing unit 526.Only after a certain airflow is reached, will the second inlet 521 beopen. A threshold could be set around 20 ml/sec, so when a faster rateis presented by the user, it will open the second inlet hole and airwill come in from there, thereby resulting in a consistent airflow ratein the first inlet hole and along the atomizer portion 510.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, controlling the airflowrate of an inhalation device can be derived without substantiallyrestricting the airflow rate and without a sensor for measuring datarelating to air flow rate. This embodiment is characterized in thatvariations in the vapor production essentially match variations in theairflow rate. So if the airflow rate increases by 50%, then the vaporproduction rate needs to increase by approximately 50%. In thisembodiment, the light sensor (as described in various embodimentsherein) can be used by the processor to identify increases in vapordensity and account accordingly. Implementation of this embodiment canbe achieved by design considerations to the location where the vapor isbeing produced, e.g., the atomizer portion of embodiments describedherein. For example, the specific area of vaporization (where the liquidvaporizes) can be designed in such a way that this space may becomesaturated with vapor at a certain point.

For example, FIG. 6A shows vapor saturation 606 created by heatingelement 609 in a vaporization area 608, which could correspond to afirst channel portion described in FIGS. 1-5. As the air flows past thisarea (illustrated by the arrow from the inlet 602 through to the outlet604), it will carry the vapor and provide un-saturated air to thatspace, which will in-turn get saturated, and so on. The slower the airmoves, the less vapor is created per unit of time. The faster the airmoves, the more vapor is produced per unit of time.

For example, FIG. 6B shows air flowing more quickly through thevaporization area and moving the vapor with it and allowing more vaporto be produced. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, theinhalation rate is not known. However, the increases and decreases invapor density are measured by the vapor sensing unit as described hereinand are accounted for by the microprocessor. Considering that a humanhas a limited range of inhalation rates, the embodiments described inFIGS. 6A and 6B can provide substantially accurate results.

In another embodiment, substantially accurate results as to determiningairflow rate for an inhalation device may be derived withoutsubstantially restricting the airflow rate and without a sensor formeasuring data relating to air flow rate and without a vapor sensor.This embodiment may be characterized in that the vapor production needsto be consistent with respect to time. For example, if the vaporizationunit produced a set amount of vapor per second, for example, 1mg/second, then the total amount of drug can be calculated based on theduration of a puff alone. In such a set-up, the production of vaporwould need to be independent of uncontrolled variables such as air flowrates.

For example, in an embodiment shown in FIG. 7A, the inhalation devicesdescribed herein may include a puff sensor to detect the start and stopof a user's puff. This may include a puff switch that detects a pressuredrop somewhere in the flow pathway. Various embodiments of puff sensorsand/or airflow sensors can be implemented in an inhalation device asdescribed herein. In one example, as shown in FIG. 7A, a fin can bepositioned in the airflow pathway such that the airflow will affect thefin (such as by vibrating the fin or by forcing the fin in a direction).The fin vibrations may be measured and a corresponding airflow ratedetermined based on a correlation derived by previous and simpleexperimentation. The fin may also be positioned as to bend, turn,compress or stretch.

This motion may be measured and a corresponding airflow rate determinedbased on a correlation derived by previous and simple experimentation.The fin's motion may be measured by various means such as opticalsensors, rotational motion sensors, resistance measurements,piezoelectric sensors and/or capacitance change created by the motion ofthe fin on a capacitance sensor.

The fin may be shaped as a propeller and positioned in the airflow/vaporflow pathway to spin as the air/vapor passes. The speed of rotation maybe measured and an airflow speed derived by calculation or by previousand simple experimentation. These embodiments of FIG. 7A may be used asa puff detector/switch (to detect the start and stop of a puff) or tomeasure airflow rates.

As shown in FIG. 7B, another embodiment includes having a heated wirepositioned in the airflow such that the passing air will create a dropin the temperature of the wire. The faster the flow, the more thetemperature will drop. The temperature may be measured in real time anda correlating airflow rate may be determined by mathematicalcalculations or by a look up table. The look up table may be generatedbeforehand by simple experimentation of airflow vs temperature in thisset up. This embodiment of FIG. 7B may be used as a puff detector/switch(to detect the start and stop of a puff) or to measure airflow rates.

As shown in FIG. 7C, another embodiment may include the heated element704 located in the air flow path. The heating element 704 may be heatedto a specific temperature by the processor (or processing circuit). Asshown in FIG. 7C, a temperature sensor 731 may be located downstreamfrom the heated element as to measure the temperature of the passingair. The passing air will be heated by the heating element and then thetemperature sensor will measure the temperature of that air. Differentair flow rates will result in different temperature readings. In thisembodiment, the heating element could be located within the airflowpathway. The passing airflow will create changes in temperature in saidelement. These changes in temperature may create variations in thecurrent drawn by said element, and or variations in the resistanceacross said element. These variations in current/resistance may bemeasured. The airflow speed may be derived from these measurements bycalculations or by previous experimentation. The FIG. 7C embodiment maybe used as a puff detector/switch (to detect the start and stop of apuff) or to measure airflow rates.

In another embodiment an inhalation device according to this disclosuremay use a sensor positioned on the mouthpiece such that when the user'slips touch the mouthpiece, the sensor can detect this action.Preferably, as shown in FIG. 7D, a set of sensors 741 may be positionedin an outlet 708 such that the one sensor touches the top lip and theother the bottom lip. Capacitive and resistive touch sensors 741 may beused for the FIG. 7D embodiment. The above described embodiments mayalso be fitted with a push button that can be used by the user toinitiate and/or activate the device. When the user stops pushing thebutton, the device can stop. In yet another embodiment, an inhalationdevice according to this disclosure may be configured in such a way thatthe user may define when the device will turn off. The user can definethis by setting an amount of drug (dose) that they want to consume. Theunit may remain operational until the dose is fully consumed. The devicewill measure the amount inhaled in real-time and will discontinuesupplying vapor once the dose is met. This allows the user to get thedose that they want without actively monitoring the metering interface.

In another embodiment, the flow rate of the vapor by use of the vaporsensing unit may be determined in a different manner. For example, thevapor sensing unit may be set up in a way as to provide a pattern (orrhythm) to the vapor production. For example, the production of thevapor may be pulsed (on-off) at a known certain frequency, as shown inFIG. 8.

FIG. 8 shows an inhalation device 800 that includes an atomizer portion810 and a vapor sensing unit 826 as described in various embodimentsherein. The vapor sensing unit would identify these pulses in vaporproduction as increases and decreases in vapor density. By comparing thefrequency of the identified pulses to the known frequency of vaporproduction, the flow rate of the vapor can be determined as shown inFIG. 9. This may be determined by calculation or by experimentation. Inparallel, the density of the vapor can be determined by the intensity ofthe light for each pulse. This method would not be limited to on-offpulses. For example, a sine wave pattern may be chosen.

Vapor/air mixtures tend to be non-homogenous and poorly mixed. Thedensity of the vapor may vary greatly within small distances. Thedensity of the vapor may also change quickly depending on temperature,pressure, motion and turbulence. One can anticipate that measuringsubstantially all the air/vapor will yield better results than measuringonly a portion of the air/vapor. When measuring vapor it is important tomeasure the vapor density often enough to properly characterize thevapor quantity. In a flowing environment, one may find snapshots of highdensity followed by low density. Ideally, the frequency of the snapshotswould match the flow speed in such a way that all the vapor crosssections are captured. Such a set up may require that the snapshotfrequency vary according to the flow rate. As an example in FIG. 8, thevapor will travel a length L in a certain amount of time dependent onflow rate. For example, the certain amount of time may be 0.25 seconds.In such a case, it would be advantageous to take a snapshot at leastonce per every 0.25 seconds to ensure all vapor is seen by the sensor.It may also be found that substantially good characterization of theflow is possible with less frequent snapshots. Such a determination canbe made after proper consideration to liquid characteristics, physicalpathway constraints and dynamics, temperature, desired level of accuracyand various other factors.

In yet another embodiment is an inhalation device, with meteringcapabilities as described in this disclosure, where the vapor isproduced by vibrations (rather than heat). Such a device would have areservoir for holding the drug in liquid form (could also be in solidform), and creating a vibration of certain frequency in order totransform the liquid into a vapor. A piezoelectric may be used to createthe vibrations. The liquid may be held/suspended in a membrane that hassmall holes. The membrane may be metal and have porous qualities. Thevapor produced may then be inhaled by the user. Adding heat to thevaporization method may help the performance of this device. Further, itmay help create vapor particle sizes that are better suited forinhalation and absorption by the lungs. Particle size has an effect onhow far into the lungs the particles may travel, thus affecting wherethe particles settle and may get absorbed.

In yet another embodiment is an inhalation device, with meteringcapabilities as described in this disclosure, for use with plants andherbs (or other naturally occurring materials). This device wouldinclude a heating element, a location or chamber to hold the plantmaterial, a vapor sensor for measuring the vapor, it may have a pressureor airflow sensor for determining air flow speed. It may have a puffswitch for detecting a puff. The puff switch or puff detector may be asdescribed above.

In another embodiment is an inhalation device metering ability for‘dabbing’. This embodiment includes an inhalation device with metering,as described in this disclosure, for use with highly concentratedextracts. These extract may be solid or waxy. They may be substantiallysolid and non-fluid. This device would include a heating element, alocation or chamber to hold substantially solid material, a vapor sensorfor measuring the vapor, it may have a pressure or airflow sensor fordetermining air flow speed. It may have a puff switch for detecting apuff.

In embodiments described above, vapor is metered after it is produced.In another embodiment the material/drug is metered before it isvaporized (or as it is being vaporized). This embodiment requiresmetering the drug in to the vaporizing unit such that the amount that isbeing vapor is controlled by the metering process. For example, as shownin FIG. 11A, the drug may be made into a solid and fed into the heatingelement by a lead screw. The feed rate could be controlled and metered.The FIG. 11A embodiment could alternatively work with a liquid that isfed at a certain rate into a heating element for evaporation.

Another embodiment includes a piezoelectric/vibration unit to be used ina mechanical way to feed the drug into a heating element. In thisembodiment, the drug can be situated in such a way that it can only moveinto the heating element. This can be achieved by a ratchet design orone way values that only allow motion in one direction. The vibrationcaused by the piezoelectric/vibrator can be set up in such a way that itwill bias the drug into the heating element when activated. FIG. 11Billustrates an embodiment with this type of set-up. Another way is tofeed the drug into the heating element by discrete individual touches(e.g., by touching the drug to the heating element for a certain amountof time and pressure). It may be necessary to repeat this action withhigh frequency to get the desired amount.

As shown in FIG. 12, another embodiment provides an alternative way tometer vapor in an inhalation device. More specifically, the FIG. 12Aembodiment discusses a way by which to measure that density of vapor ina pathway. There would be two probes positioned in the vapor pathway.The probes would be located at a set distance from one another. Theprobes may be made of a conductive material. There could be a certainhigh amount of electrical resistance between the tips of the probes inthe default “no vapor” state. This resistance could be measured and usedas a baseline resistance value. As vapor flows past the probes, it willfill the space between the probes with particles of vapor. The vaporparticles are more electronically conductive than air. Hence, the vaporwill change the resistance reading between the probes.

The FIG. 12A embodiment may include that the resistance readings areamplified by changing the shape and orientation of the probes. Heat oran electrical charge may also improve the results. Another embodimentmay include connecting the probes by a thin wire that is positioned toaccumulate tiny particles of the passing vapor during flow. Theresistance of the wire will change accordingly.

In another embodiment the vapor sensor may be used to identify vaporflow rate by having a dual vapor sensor set up. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 10, an inhalation device may include an atomizerportion 1010 and a vapor sensing unit 1026. The vapor sensing unit 1026may have a first light sensor 1030, a first light source 1032, a secondlight sensor 1034, and a second light source 1036.

As shown in FIG. 10, vapor would flow past the two vapor light sensors1030 and 1034 that may be positioned in such a way that the vapor passesby the first sensor 1030 before passing by the second sensor 1034. Bothsensors 1030 and 1034 would record the passing vapor intensity profile,and the detailed fluctuations that naturally occur during invaporization flow. The two sensors 1030 and 1034 may record essentiallythe same profiles and details, however at different times due to theirdifferent positions in the pathway. The microprocessor may analyze thetwo profiles, find matching reference points in both, and calculate atime offset. Based on the calculated time offset and physical distancebetween these sensors, the flow rate may be calculated. FIG. 12 forexample, shows these two profiles over time. In FIG. 12, the profile ofthe first sensor 1030 is the solid line and the profile of the secondsensor 1034 is the broken line.

In another embodiment, the inhalation devices described herein can beconnected to a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet andinterfaced with a software application. The software application canrecord the doses that the user has inhaled and record the user's dosageexperience. This information can be analyzed by the software to trackand optimize the user's experience with the substance inhaled. To helpimprove analysis, the user could also enter personal information such asailments, pains, weight and food intake. The information recorded can beused to accurately monitor a user's intake details and may be submittedto a doctor for review and/or diagnostic evaluation.

The application could also connect with other users via the internet.This could be used to share experiences, receive recommendations, andnetwork with a community of users. The application may also be used asan ecommerce platform to purchase dosage capsules, or vaporizerequipment. The platform could offer specific substances based on auser's rated experience. Another enhanced use might be finding otherusers within geographic locations that may allow for social interactionsand meetings. These enhanced services may be integrated with others overthe internet.

The vaporizer device could also be locked by the user via theapplication. This could be used as a safety feature against undesireduse (by children or others). There could be a customizable lock settingto enhance safety or limit usage for those with low self control.

While embodiments have been described herein with a wick and heatingelement, other suitable methods of vaporizing a substance could beutilized without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Forexample, the substance to be vaporized could be placed in a chamber oroven. The oven can be a small cup made of metal, where a user couldplace the substance. The oven would then heat up and vaporize thesubstance. Any vapor produced can exit the oven and flow to the userwhen the user inhales.

While embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it isappreciated that various substitutions and changes in the describedembodiments may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit of this disclosure. The embodiments described herein arefor illustration and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

As an example and not by way of limitation, the processor and memory mayprovide the above described functionalities as a result of theprocessor(s) (e.g., integrated circuit, ASIC) executing softwareembodied in one or more tangible, computer-readable media. Suchcomputer-readable media can be media associated with user-accessiblemass storage memory as discussed above. The software implementingvarious embodiments of the present disclosure can be stored in suchdevices and executed by the processor. A computer-readable medium caninclude one or more memory devices or chips, according to particularneeds. The software can cause the processor to execute particularprocesses or particular parts of particular processes described herein,including defining data structures stored in the memory (e.g., RAM) andmodifying such data structures according to the processes defined by thesoftware. In addition or as an alternative, the processor can providefunctionality as a result of logic hardwired or otherwise embodied in acircuit, which can operate in place of or together with software toexecute particular processes or particular parts of particular processesdescribed herein. Reference to software can encompass logic, and viceversa, where appropriate. Reference to a computer-readable media canencompass a circuit (such as an integrated circuit (IC)) storingsoftware for execution, a circuit embodying logic for execution, orboth, where appropriate. The present disclosure encompasses any suitablecombination of hardware and software.

While this disclosure has described several exemplary embodiments, thereare alterations, permutations, and various substitute equivalents, whichfall within the scope of the disclosure. It will thus be appreciatedthat those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous devices,systems and methods which, although not explicitly shown or describedherein, embody the principles of the disclosure and are thus within thespirit and scope thereof.

1. An inhalation device for providing metering information regardingvaporized substance inhalation to a user, the inhalation devicecomprising: a main body comprising a channel through which the vaporizedsubstance can flow, the main body including an inlet that is a firstopening and an outlet that is a second opening; a light source thatemits light and that is positioned inside of the channel; a light sensorthat senses an intensity of the light emitted from the light source; apuff detecting element configured to send an electric signal when a puffis detected; a memory; and a processor or circuit configured to: when asignal indicating that a puff has been detected by the puff detectingelement: start the heating element to begin vaporizing the substance;extract, from the memory, a predetermined known flow rate that is storedin the memory in advance, the predetermined known flow rate being aknown flow rate of either the inhalation device itself or a portion ofthe channel of the inhalation device; determine, based on the extractedknown flow rate and information received from the light sensor regardingthe intensity of the light emitted from the light source, an amount ofvaporized substance that have been produced; accumulate the determinedamount of vaporized substance that has been produced in the memory as atotal amount produced; and when the accumulated total amount producedreaches a predetermined threshold dosage amount: (i) shut off theheating element or (ii) send a signal to an indicator that thepredetermined threshold amount of the vaporized substance has beenconsumed.
 2. The inhalation device of claim 1, wherein the light sourceand the light sensor are positioned in the channel such that thevaporized substance can flow past the light sensor and the light source,and the puff detecting element includes at least one of: a fin orpropeller positioned in the vapor flow pathway to spin as the air/vaporpasses, a heated wire positioned in the airflow pathway such thatpassing air will create a drop in the temperature of the wire, atemperature sensor located downstream from the heating element as tomeasure the temperature of the passing air, and a sensor positioned onthe mouthpiece such that when the user's lips touch the mouthpiece apuff is detected.
 3. The inhalation device of claim 1, wherein thedetermining of the amount of vaporized substance includes: obtaining apredetermined number of readings from the sensor in a predeterminedamount of time; determining a percentage, which is a vapor factor, as aratio of an expected amount of production for the predetermined amountof time to the actual amount of vapor produced over the predeterminedamount of time; multiplying the predetermined amount of time by thevapor factor at that time; and determining a total amount that has beenconsumed by accumulating each multiplication product.
 4. The inhalationdevice according to claim 1, wherein the processor or circuit is furtherconfigured to: determine the amount of vaporized substance based on acorrelation between a light intensity and a vapor/air mixture.
 5. Theinhalation device according to claim 4, wherein the correlation is basedon a graph of a value percent drop in light intensity versus apercentage of vapor in a mixture of vapor and air.
 6. The inhalationdevice according to claim 4, wherein the correlation is based on a graphof a value percent drop in light intensity versus a percentage ofcannabis oil vapor in a mixture of vapor and air.
 7. The inhalationdevice of claim 1, wherein the processor or circuit uses data from thelight sensor to meter the consumption of the vaporized substance, andthe predetermined known flow rate that is stored in advance is based ona length of the second channel portion.
 8. The inhalation device ofclaim 1, wherein the indicator informs the user when a dose of thesubstance has been inhaled, and the indicator includes at least one of:an audio signal, a visual signal, a visual display, a vibration and atransmitter that sends a signal to an external device.
 9. The inhalationdevice of claim 1, further comprising: an atomizer configured tovaporize an unvaporized substance into a vaporized substance.
 10. Theinhalation device of claim 1, wherein the first opening is configured toallow entry of air into the device that flows to the atomizer such thatthe air flows at a substantially constant rate.
 11. The inhalationdevice of claim 10, wherein the processor or circuit, using thesubstantially constant rate and the data from the light sensor, isconfigured to meter an amount of vapor consumed by a user.
 12. Theinhalation device of claim 1, wherein the channel includes a firstchannel portion and a second channel portion, and when a user inhales,the vapor will flow in the first channel portion and through the secondchannel portion before flowing through the outlet, and the light sourceand the light sensor may be positioned for sensing concentration of thevapor that flows in the second channel portion.
 13. The inhalationdevice of claim 12, wherein to perform the sensing of the concentration,the light source and the light sensor are positioned such that they areattached at respective ends of the second channel portion.
 14. Theinhalation device of claim 13, wherein the respective ends of the secondchannel portion are parallel to each other and perpendicular to thevapor flow direction in the first channel portion.
 15. The inhalationdevice of claim 13, wherein where the vapor flow direction in the firstchannel portion is an X-axis of a local coordinate grid, a ceiling ofthe second channel portion is completely or partially below the firstchannel portion, where below means on a different Y-coordinate plane ofthe local coordinate grid that has the X-axis corresponding to the vaporflow direction in the first channel portion.
 16. The inhalation deviceof claim 13, wherein the second channel portion is relatively providedat a level below the first channel portion.
 17. The inhalation device ofclaim 13, wherein the inhalation device is configured to cause the vaporto: upon exiting the first channel portion, travel in a downwarddirection to and into the second channel portion, and upon exiting thesecond channel portion, travel in a direction upwards to the outlet. 18.The inhalation device of claim 1, wherein the inlet comprises a channelhaving at least two sidewalls, and the flow rate through the channel islimited by surface tension and friction between the air and thesidewalls.
 19. The inhalation device of claim 1, further comprising aplunger that is positioned at the inlet and is configured to move in anaxial direction to limit airflow into the device.
 20. The inhalationdevice of claim 1, wherein the processor or circuit is configured to atleast one of: produce discreet pulses of vapor at a preset frequency andor produce vapor in the pattern of a sine wave.